Subte Pickpockets - The Vomit Technique

[pez]

Thought I would share a little scam I saw on the Line D subte today.
A group of guys were standing at one end of the train with an older lady who was blocking the doorway and managed to squeeze more people into this standing room area through her old lady crafty maneuvers.
One of the guys starts swaying and says he feels sick then proceeds to open up the train window and 'vomit'. Lots of sound effects as everyone moves away from the vomiting man. During this distraction at least one guy lost his wallet to a crafty pair of hands. The vomiting man, his friend and several other guys (they all looked like brothers) as well as the old lady (mum) got off at the next train station.
It was a little amateurish (no smell or real vomit - special effects would bring it up one more notch!) but with a bit more practice this could be a good little money earner for them.

 

[sesamosinsal]

Same thing happened to me. It was, in fact, my first pickpocket. Wouldn't be my last, but it hasn't happened since 2009. (I tie my cellphone to my belt loops these days...) In my case, it was pretty much the first time I had been out of small town Missouri, and I always put my wallet in the front pockets of my hoodie. Anyway, I got on the subway, and two other guys go on with me. One stood behind me, and the other tried vomiting on my shoe. Essentially, the one was trying to push me into the other by trying to vomit on me. We get to the next station, my friend tells me, "Check your things, check your things." Sure enough, my wallet had disappeared. It had no money in it... just useless plastic credit cards that were cancelled within an hour.

 

[gsi16386]

Same thing happened to me. It was, in fact, my first pickpocket. Wouldn't be my last, but it hasn't happened since 2009. (I tie my cellphone to my belt loops these days...) In my case, it was pretty much the first time I had been out of small town Missouri, and I always put my wallet in the front pockets of my hoodie. Anyway, I got on the subway, and two other guys go on with me. One stood behind me, and the other tried vomiting on my shoe. Essentially, the one was trying to push me into the other by trying to vomit on me. We get to the next station, my friend tells me, "Check your things, check your things." Sure enough, my wallet had disappeared. It had no money in it... just useless plastic credit cards that were cancelled within an hour.

Wow, you've been pickpocketed more than once or twice?? You need to work on that mean dog face!

 

[dane4695]

I wanted to reply to help others who might be targeted by this. I've traveld to several countries throughout the world and never been pickpocketed - until today. I was carying a locked bag but had my phone in my front pocket. They guy vomited / puked towards my shoes. Both me and my companion new something was weird though, as we checked our things... sure enough, my phone was gone. Neither of us lost anything else, but this trick was so unique and I had never heard of it... so I dropped my guard.

expats/tourists to BA, beware of the pukers!